[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5591-5592]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO UASA OF SONOMA COUNTY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 6, 2007

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor United Against 
Sexual Assault--UASA--of Sonoma County on the occasion of its 33rd 
anniversary. Founded in 1974 as Women Against Rape, the agency 
consisted of a phone number to call for emotional support. Today that 
crisis line operates 24 hours a day, and the organization has an 
official board, paid staff, and volunteers who last year donated over 
10,000 hours.
  Over the past 33 years, UASA has greatly expanded the services 
offered to the people of

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Sonoma County. It provides extensive training on helping victims, 
including not only women and girls, but also men, children, and the 
families of victims. Staff and volunteers also accompany victims and 
their families for police reporting, court appearances, medical exams, 
or other personal situations.
  Prevention programs include outreach to elementary through high 
school youths, reaching approximately 6,000 young people every year, as 
well as parents and school personnel. Other efforts include bilingual 
outreach to Hispanic teens, teen peer education training, anti- racism 
curriculum which deals with violence against the lesbian/gay/bisexual/
transgender community, and a unique men's program featuring men 
educating men. All services are offered at no cost.
  UASA also plays a key role in the county's pioneering SART--sexual 
assault response team--which unites law enforcement, mental health, 
legal, and advocacy programs to support victims and families. This 
collaborative project makes services easily accessible and minimizes 
the stress felt by victims. The agency is also working with the 
District Attorney's office to establish a county-wide Family Justice 
Center.
  Executive Director Gloria Young has provided visionary leadership in 
shepherding the agency through many of these transitions. In 2004, 
Gloria received the Outstanding Executive Director Award from the 
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She has post poned her 
scheduled retirement this year in order to remain at the helm during a 
time when some services are threatened by the closing of a major 
hospital.
  Madam Speaker, UASA's long-term mission is to eliminate all forms of 
sexual assault. I know that with its inspired leadership, dedicated 
staff, and committed volunteers United Against Sexual Assault of Sonoma 
County has brought our community a long way towards achieving this goal 
and will not be satisfied until they have reached it. I salute UASA on 
their anniversary and look forward to the day when their services are 
no longer needed.

                          ____________________